Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-06-03
THE BISHOPS STORY.


midland counties. Happening 10 arrive
somewhat earlier than usual he found, on
being shown into tho drawing room, that
the hostess was not yet down, the only oc-
cupant of the room being Roman
Catholic priest-a complete stranger TO
him-who was seated upon a sofa in
tently reading large book. As the
bishop entered the priest raised his eyes,
made him n courteous but silent bow, and
again resumed his reading. He was
strongly built, active looking man-ap-
parently rather Muscular Christian; but
there was in his face an expression OF
WEAKNESS and anxiety that attracted the
bishops attention. and he wondered much
within himself who he could be and how
he came to be invited to that house soon
other guests appeared, and the hostess
came down so full Of apologies for not be-
ing in readiness to receive her guests on
their arrival that the questions he had in
tended TO ask about the stranger priest
were forgotten for the time. When
seated next TO his hostess at the dinner
table, however, they REQUIRED to his mem
CRY, and turning 70 her he remarked;
"By the way, you did not Introduce me
TO that interesting looking priest whom /
found in the drawing room; who IS hef"
Then, looking along the table, he con-
tinued with some surprise: "Hc does not
seem to have come in TO dinner. "
a very strange look passed over the
hostess face as she said hurricdly, almost
in a whisper: "What, did you actually see
him, then?'
Certainly / did" replied the bishop
but beg Your pardon; fear | have un-
Intentionally mentioned a subject which
Is unpleasant TO you perhaps intruded
upon some family secret. | had no idea
but that the priest was n simple guest,
like myself, and his appearance interested
me so much that ! wished 20 ask for an
introduction; but if you are anxious for
some reason that his presence here should
be concealed, l need hardly assure you
that you may depend upon my silence. -
"No, no, my lord, answered the host
| ess still in low tone, ''you misunderstood
me entirely; there is nothing which |
wish to conceal, though this is n subject
which my husband does not like to have
| mentioned. | was surprised 10 hear that
the priest had shown himself TO You, be-
cause until now this has never happened
| except TO a member Of our own family.
| What you saw was no visitor, but an APP
| partition.
"An apparitionf" calculated the bishop.
Eyes" continued the hostess, land one
whose supernatural character il is impos-
| sble 70 doubt, for during the two years
| we have lived in this house 1t has shown
| Itself perhaps Il dozen times 20 my husband
and myself under circumstances in which
either self-deception or imposition were
quite out Of the question. Since we can
| not explain it and are well assured that
it is due 10 no natural causes we have
| decided not to speak of il 10 any one. But
| Giv Won
| do me a favorf'
Most certainly, If it be within my
power replied he. Il have often
| thought" she resumed, chat if any one
| could be found who had the courage to
address it, we might perhaps be relieved
| from its presence. Can you-will you
| make some trivial excuse for going back
| TO the drawing room for a few minutes,
see if the priest be still there, and, if he
! be, speak 70 him-adiure him 20 depart
| from this house--eXorcise him, in factf'
After some hesitation the bishop agreed
| 10 make the proposed experiment. His
| whispered conversation with the hostess
| having been apparently unobserved, he
| excused himself 10 her In a louder tone
for n few moments absence and left the
! room, waving back the servant who
| would have attended him. 1t was with a
|
| drawing room he perceived the figure Of
the priest still seated in the same spot
| still diligently pcrusing his great breviary.
| if such it was; but with mistaken rcsolu-
! ton he walked slowly forward and stood
| directly In front Of the apparition. As
| before, the priest greeted him with n
! courteous inclination Of the head. bat this
| time, instead Of Immediately returning TO
the book, his eyes rested with look Of in
! finite WEAKNESS, and yet with kind Of
| suppressed eagcrness also, upon the
4 bishops face After a moments pause
the bishop said slowly and solcmnly;
in the name Of God, who are you and
| what do you wantY'
The appartion closed its book rose from
| its seat, stood confronting the bishop, and,
| after slight hesitation, spoke in a low
| but measured voice.
| II have never been 50 adjured before,
1 | viii tell you who | am and what !
! want. As you see, am priest
| of the Catholic church. and eighty years
ago this house in which we now stand was
| mine. / was n good rider and was eX-
| tremely fond Of hunting when opportunity
! offered; and one day was just about to
start for the ncighboring meet. when q
| young lady, of very high family indeed.
called upon me for the purpose Of making
n confession. What she said, If course.
| may not repeat, but it affected very closely
! the honor Of one Of the noblcst houses OF
! England; and it appeared 10 me Of
such supreme Importance that there
| being certain complications in the case |
committed the grave indiscrction-thc sin
| even, for IL is strictly forbidden by cur
! church-of making notes Of the confession
rs | heard il. When ! had absolved and
| dismissed her | found that it was only
! barely possible Cor me 20 reach the rem
! devious in time, but even in my haste |
! did not forget the supreme Importance Of
! guarding carefully my notes of the terri
bic secret just committed TO me. For pur-
| poses which / need not now detail, had
/ had a few bricks looscned in tho
wall Of one OF the lower passages
OF this house and small recess made
| just the place | thought, in which my
notes would be perfectly safe from any
conceivable accident until my return,
/ when ] intended to master the intrcaciCs
/ OF the case at my leisure, and then at once
destroy the dangerous paper. Meantime
hurriedly shut it between the leaves of